Reviews - toys page 3

We have reviewed a selection of toys which have been sent to us, as well as recommending some that have been a particular success at home. These will help you and your children to have fun together while they are learning.

Schleich 15001 Oviraptor

Schleich are continually bringing out new models. This is great as there is always something new for children to look out for. This detailed model even includes accurate feathering. Every new animal refreshes the collection and adds to play value - and there are always present ideas to hand! These dinosaur models are really educational too, as children can learn facts such as tThe Oviraptor lived over about 75 million years ago at the time of the Velociraptor. Linking informatiom with the model really helps children to memorise and also to put the creatures into historical context. All the models can be purchased from Schleich at www.schleich-s.co.uk.

Schleich Tawa

This dinosaur was a new one for me and I learnt that the tawa was a carnivorous dinosaur with a slender snout and long neck; great to see children being introduced to some new creatures. Paramount to Schleich's philosophy is accuracy and attention to detail. This is so important and it's good to know that children will be playing with (and therefore learning about) really accurate models... as far as modern discoveries allow.

Schleich Velociraptor

This was one of the smallest dinosaurs at just 70cm high, making a pleasing contrast to the others. Like all Schleich models, this is hand-painted with great attention to detail and plenty of textured effects. The models are sturdy and well made, with a really solid feel, not flimsy at all. Evn the smallest parts are durable and strong. The Schleich website is a fantastic resource for finding out more about these dinosaurs, including fun facts, so do encourage your child to do some research and enhance their experience. The recommended age for these dinosaurs is 5+. The exceptional quality means the figures are great to keep on permanent display. How about encouraging your child to do some research into the kind of world where these dinosaurs lived, and to make a model on which to display them?

Schleich 14812 Lion

Just as with all Schleich products, this is a detailed and totally accurate model which ensures children know exactly how the animal looks. The intricate paintwork captures the nuances of the coat and even the tiniest detail is included. After birth, lion babies have a sand-coloured fur coat with dark, circular spots and they are well camouflaged in the savannah. They spend their first four to six weeks in a den and at three months, they are strong enough to follow their mother wherever she goes. The Panthera leo's home is Africa and Asia, where they live in Hot Desert, Subtropical Forest, Subtropical Grassland, Subtropical Shrubland and Dry Savanna. Buy from the Schleich website.

Schleich 14816 Indian Rhinoceros

This majestic looking beast with isi wrinkled skin looks imposing and fearsome, but he is in fact a peaceful creature who grazes on vegetation. He is beautifully made, with superb texturing on his skin which makes him really life-like. The Schleich website is full of information about all the animals, so do make use of this and encourage your children to learn more about the creatures they are playing with. I have given some samples of this in some of these reviews. Finding out information will develop children's learning skills and interest in the animals. Why not encourage them to find out the creature's habitat and draw a scene to show the details? Buy from the Schleich website.

Schleich 13875 Black Bull

Symbolic of Spain, this imposing bull can be used in a variety of play scenarios. They can weigh well over 1,000 kg and are extremely strong. Before a bull attacks, it displays warning behaviours. It shows itself from the side so that it looks bigger, tosses its head back and forth, scrapes the ground with its front hoof and bellows - fearsome! All the Schleich animals can be used as part of their impressive play stes, or played with as part of individual collections. Once your child has started to build up their collection, you will never be at a loss for a gift to buy! And the great thing is, as soon as you add one or two creatures, the play value of the whole set is enhanced. Children will learn, from the various groups, just who lives with who in real life - and will make up their own eclectc groupings too! Buy from Schleich.

Schleich Farm Life Shetland Pony

This adorable little pony is ideal for using with farm playsets, or for all young horse and pony fans who want to build up a collection of really accurate models - the careful use of distinguishing features means all the models are true to life. The white mane on the dark brown horse is very effective, with lovely realistic detailing; it's a lovely chunky model which stands well for play fun. Collect the animals together to make themed displays for a child's room and encourage them to learn about habitats. You only need to pick up these high-quality models to feel what sets them way above others. They are really heavy for their size, and feel so solid. Ours have been enjoyed for many hours of play, and the paint never shows any signs of wear; they are so durable. Schleich are continually adding to their collections, as well as bringing out new play worlds, so there's always something new to look out for to keep children's interest high. Find the Shetland Pony gelding on the Schleich website, and learn more about these creatures, who can be found over the world.

Cat Buildin’ Crew Take-A-Part Buddies™ - Movin' morgan

Movin' Morgan is a lovely bright yellow big digger with moving front and rear buckets. This licensed cat vehicle is easy to assemble and remove parts - it includes a motorised hand drill to help construction; this can be used to take the wheels and other parts on and off, really adding to the play fun. Perfect for developing co-ordination skills, this is a classic take-a-part play set which offers hours of imaginative play. He is really friendly-looking too. Little ones can experience the fun and satisfaction of building and removing the parts themselves, encouraging thinking skills as they work out how to reassemble the toy. There are 2 fun characters to collect - Haulin’ Harry™ and Movin’ Morgan™; if you have two children, it's good fun for them to have one each. The digger is really sturdily made and suitable for indoor and outdoor play - perfect for use in the sandpit. the big wheels mean it moves across the floor really smoothly. Ac well-made durable toy with lots of play value. Suitable for age 3+, the vehicles are also available from Morrisons, Toymaster and Debenhams.

Thomas & Friends - Learn with Thomas Alphaphonics

Learn letters, sounds and spelling with the Thomas & Friends Learn with Thomas Alphaphonics. The easy-to-handle toy features every letter in upper and lower case and images of well known characters and places from the stories. Children can select from seven different play modes. The play patterns are designed to help develop memory, follow sequences and concentration. Rewards include fun music and sound effects.

The Thomas & Friends Learn with Alphaphonics toy is a lightweight phonics learning toy aimed at ages 3+. There is a handle either side so it is easy to hold and has the 26 alphabet letter buttons on the front. Each button has an image on it showing the letter in both lower and upper case, along with a Thomas & Friends themed picture. For example 'H' has an image of Henry, 'R' has an image of rails and 'W' has an image of a whistle. Above the alphabet buttons are 3 big yellow buttons and at the top of the toy is the actvities slider. An easy to use yellow slider enables you to quickly choose the activity you want to play.

This toy has an impressive 7 activities to choose from:

Activity 1: Press a letter button to hear the word and sound. A voice will make the letter sound and then says the word on the corresponding letter button. For example "Letter S, sounds like 'sss' as in steam".

Activity 2: Press a letter button to hear its name and the phonetic sound. This is a great feature as your child will still get to hear the name of the letter, as well as the sound it makes.

Activity 3: Find a character or object. The toy will ask you to find a letter or object. If you get it correct a bell will ring, if you get it wrong it will make a noise, but you do get three chances to get it correct!

Activity 4: Find the first letter of a word. The toy will ask you a question, for example "What is the first letter of the word kite?". You then press the button you think is the correct answer.

Activity 5: Can you find a phonetic letter from a spoken word? For example, you will be asked "Can you find the letter 'j' as in James?". Press the button you think is the answer.

Activity 6: Copy a sequence of funny sounds. Listen to the sounds that are made and then press the buttons in the same order. You might hear the voice of a person, one of the engines or perhaps the sound of a level crossing. This activity is a little trickier to get the correct answer. The sounds are not always that clear, and if the noise is the voice of an engine talking then you need to know the Thomas & Friends characters very well in order to be able to get the correct answer.

Activity 7: Choose a button and have fun listening to all the sounds.

In addition to the 7 activities there are also 3 other buttons. The first is the 'abc' button, this will speak the phonetic alphabet from the beginning each time it is pressed, this is a great way to keep your child hearing the phonetic sounds. The second button plays music, there are 3 different Thomas & Friends tunes to hear. The third button is the repeat button. Once pressed this will repeat the last question or sound from the activities above.

There are also volume control buttons on the right and left of the toy where the alphabet buttons are. I must say I didn't realise these were there for a while. They are small and quite subtle, there is also no mention of them in the instructions! These are useful as I did think it was quite loud, but much better once turned down a little!

The age recommendation of 3+ for this toy is appropriate as children will start picking up letter recognition at this age. My mini reviewer is 4 and recently started school so she is currently learning the first phonics sounds and she has been enjoying using it. It is fun to use so it holds their attention well and benefits them by building memory skills from using images along with the letters. The range of activities is great as there is so much to do. Electronic learning aids are proving to be popular as they are able to incorporate so much fun in to learning.

The Learn with Thomas Alphaphonics retails at £19.99 and can be found for sale on Amazon (link on left).

World Globe from Brainstorm Toys

The best way to teach children about the world and the relationship between all the places is by using a globe. This compact globe is perfect for children's bedrooms and it will really increase their understanding. The small size doesn't mean loss of detail - it shows political boundaries, natural features such as lakes, rivers and deserts plus capitals and major cities; the scale is 1:90,000,000. The base is sturdy and the globe spins well. It's neat and attractive - an educational toy that will fascinate children. "Brainstorm Toys is a range of fun, educational and interactive toys that brings together a host of fascinating items. The aim of Brainstorm Toys branded products is to entertain children but also to inspire them to learn more about their environment."

Glow 3D The Moon from Brainstorm Toys

Decorate your child's bedroom ceiling and encourage an interest in space with these glow in the dark stickers (they are daylight visible too). All year round the glow 3D moon makes an interesting room decoration. For added interest, the pack includes three additional stickers - a landing module, astronaut and lunar Rover. The stickers all adhere easily with self-adhesive pads. To glow, they just need to be exposed to a light source (daylight or artificial) for a few minutes. It's a subtle glow, so it won't disturb children's sleep, just give them a restful image; it did fade quite quickly. A fun and educational, gift for children who are interested in the stars, constellations and the universe - a great way to foster that interest, leading them on to greater discoveries.

Stikbot Pirate Movie Set from Brainstorm TOYS

Poseable Stikbots are here to make animated movies; this set includes the free StikBot stop frame animation app for iPhone or Android for children to download and produce their very own pirate movie masterpiece. The set is easy to build and includes a ship, sharks, treasure chest, trees, cannon, walk the plank, rowing boat and plenty more. StikBot comes dressed in pirate gear and there is a sticker sheet of pirate outfits included to dress your other StikBots - a really good idea. It's a super way to develop children's imaginative and story-telling skills as they use the animation app to film inside and outside of the ship. We also received two Stikbot figures, a pink and a blue one. These are jointed plastic figures that come in a variety of colours; they have suction cups on their hands and feet, and the bodies are held together with elastic cords that make for easy posing. On the box, children are encouraged to pose their figures, then share them in the Stikbot Studio (with parental permission, of course). An inexpensive and fun way to learn animation skills.

Sam the Steam Train from Wow Toys

We've been lucky enough to review several toys from the Wow range in the past, and I am a great fan. The toys are so bright and colourful and when I put a boxful of toys out, the Wow toys are always the first to catch the attention of young ones. Sam the Steam Train is a new addition to the range, and a much bigger toy than we have seen before - there is so much here to keep children (recommended age range 1.5 to 5 years) occupied. He has a motorised engine - just push and go to keep children on the move - with whistle sound (not too noisy!) and a detachable passenger coach. The engine moves smoothly along the floor; just press down the chimney to sound the whistle in case of any obstructions en route! The coach, which easily hooks onto the engine, offers lots of play value with opening side and roof which when opened reveals stairs from the platform into the coach. Inside the coach are a table and chairs for passengers to sit in, plus beds up on a balcony; the walls are colourfully decorated. There are also three figures - an engine driver and two passengers. No batteries are needed - this is a great feature of Wow Toys. The quality is superb - there are no rough edges and everything is really sturdy and durable (our previous toys still look as good as new). Wow Toys really encourage imaginative play as well as developing fine motor skills; they are also super to encourage two or more children to play together. It can be hard to find toys for children of 1+ as so many are marked as suitable for over 3; Wow Toys really fill a gap in the market. Find out more about Sam and buy him from Wow Toys here. Look out for the colourful Wow Toys displays in shops, garden centres and elsewhere - you can't miss them and I can guarantee your child won't!

Playmags 60 Piece Set

Suitable for all ages, this super set has plenty of pieces for play by one or more children. It offers limitless possibilities to create whatever children's imaginations want - cubes, houses, towers, planes, cars, fish - the list goes on as these can be whatever you want them to be. The set includes seven different shapes that can be combined in any number of ways. There are 2 large squares, 22 small squares, 14 windows, 10 small triangles, 4 medium triangles and 8 tall triangles, plus a bonus 6 ABC Clickins which fit inside the squares. We have had smaller sets of a similar toy before, and the children got really frustrated at not having enough pieces to build what they wanted. Playmags are far superior - the magnets are far stronger, meaning the creations stay in place and can be played with once made. I love the colours of these too - they are really vivid and attractive They are suitable for 3+, but have the benefit of being big enough to be perfectly safe for younger children - I have seen a one-year-old fascinated by them. As well as being a fun and educational toy for the home environment, schools find these really valuable, as they help learn children about geometric shapes, symmetry, architecture and basic math concepts through creative play. Creating models with Playmags develops motor skills and imaginative play, and develops design skills in 3D. This is not a toy which dictates to the child - it's a toy which allows them to give free rein to their creativity, and to learn a host of valuable skills at the same time. Superb a toy that will be loved for many years. Find out more on the Playmags site, and see the whole fabulous range.

Nikko 9019 "R/C Velocitrax Electronic Toy

This is a really impressive remote control toy that is bound to get a 'wow' from any lucky recipient. Definitely a futuristic looking toy with its jazzy colours and streamlined body. The Velocitrax is really manoeuvrable and intuitive, and children will soon be whizzing it around just where they want it to go - it does amazing 360-degree spins as well as other tricks. The battery lasts well for a good session of play and it comes complete with a one hour quick charger. The technical bits - it works on 2.4GHz multi band frequency, and it measures 27.9 x 17.8 x 11.4 cm; recommended age is 8+. It has two motors and a top speed is an impressive 9mph. It's suitable for multi-band 10 player racing - I'd imagine this will be enormous fun. It really lives up to its claim to be multi terrain - we tried it out on newly mown grass as well as on paving and it works really well on both; it's a tough looking vehicle that's perfect for outside play although it can be used indoors too. Wrll made and brightly coloured, this is a super looking toy. This superb remote control vehicle is available from Argos, Debenhams, Menkind, Hamley’s SMYTHS, Morrisons, The Range and Toys R Us.

LEGO City: Jungle Cargo Helicopter

Young explorers can head right into the jungle with this helicopter, which comes with all sorts of additional features for extended play value. The cockpit opens, with a space for one of the figures included; the other figure fits into the ATV. The helicopter also has spinning rotors and a working winch (this attaches to the ATV, which can then be raised and lowered), so children can really make use of the imaginative play possibilities. There's a temple which features a moving leaf; this opens to reveal a golden chalice. Finally, you'll find a spider figure, a machete and a treasure chest - lots for children to explore and get excited about. The helicopter including rotors measures over 3" (9cm) high, 9" (24cm) long and 7" (18cm) wide - it's a good size to play with; recommended age is 6 - 12. The LEGO City range includes plenty of other kits which all work well together, and each additional one really enhances the play value. As always with LEGO, the instructions are very clear and easy to follow for the recommended age. With all the accessories, this is excellent value and will give many hours of play.

Schleich croco jungle research station

This is a fantastic toy, with so many different activities to stimulate children's imaginations. The Croco Research Station is situated in the jungle. Go on a wild adventure. Set off on a research mission in the jungle and discover rare species and look after injured animals whilst enjoying the many play functions and exciting features. There is so much in this toy - the CROCO skull, which comes with opening and closing removable jaws and a secret hiding place in his tooth (children will love this!), the jungle research building complete with viewing platform; there's a trap door, hoist container with net, 11 pieces of clip together fencing (two designs), crystal skull, treasure map and many more accessories including plenty of scientific equipment, - far too many to list, but I promise you, they are all accurate and highly detailed. Secret passages lead to the treasure chamber for exploring fun. Inhabiting this world are a ranger figure, a crocodile, an orang-utan, a black panther, an Asian elephant calf I promise you, your child will have lots of fun emptying the box and discovering the contents. The generous size means it's perfect for 2 or more children to play with together, encouraging interaction, sharing and the development of co-operative play skills; children's imaginations will also feed off one another, adding to play value. Like all Schleich products, the attention to detail is impressive, and children will learn exactly what the animals are like with these accurate models. Everything is beautifully made, with huge attention to detail. Of course, children can mix and match with the other products in the range, extending play value even further. A wonderful present, and one that will give many happy hours of imaginative play. You can buy direct from Schleich here, and browse their whole fabulous range on the website. Schleich toys are a superb way to encourage children to take an interest n and to discover the world around them. The Croco Jungle is a really impressive toy and children will find it stimulating and creative, as they act out their own scenarios.

Power Rangers Ninja Steel: Deluxe Ninja Megazord

Power Rangers Ninja Steel is the twenty-fourth season of the long-running children's television show Power Rangers. Galvanax is the reigning champion of the most popular game show in the universe and he sends his warrior contestants to Earth to steal the Ninja Power Stars. The Power Rangers must master their arsenal of Ninja Power Stars, Zords and Megazords to stop this evil threat and save Earth from destruction!

The Ninja Steel Megazord is the main Megazord for the Ninja Steel Rangers. It is created when the core 5 Rangers' Zords merge. This impressive action figure combines all 5 Zords, which are all separate figures, and once they are all clicked together they create the Megazord. The 5 separate Zords are:

Zoom Zord (the Pink Rangers's Zord)

Kodiak Zord (the White Ranger's Zord)

Dragon Zord (the Blue Ranger's Zord)

Nitro Zord (the Yellow Ranger's Zord)

Robo Red Zord (the Red Ranger's Zord)

The separate figures can be played with by themselves, or combined to make the Megazord. The Megazord stands at 25cm tall and it is compatible with the 12.5cm Power Rangers figures (sold separately) which can take a ride inside the cockpit and take control! This is a great feature for Power Rangers fans who will enjoy being able to use current figures they may have already. The Megazord can also be built upon with the purchase of additional accessories (not included), such as the Mega Morph Vehicles. The Megazord figure will provide hours of imaginative play as well as thinking skills and fine motor skills when combining all of the figures.

The Ninja Steel Deluxe Megazord is a well constructed toy, it feels sturdy and robust and all of the pieces are easy enough for a child to put together. Its bold use of colour makes it really stand out and we love the fact that you can add parts to it from other Power Rangers products. The Ninja Steel Deluxe Megazord is aimed at ages 4 and over and retails at £42.99. It is available from all good toy stores.

Hape Wooden Beetle Walker

We were really looking forward to receiving this walker for review as one of my mini testers is very close to walking. The walker needs minimal assembly and just requires 2 nuts and bolts (included) to fix the handlebar in place. There are 2 different angles at which this can be placed and the instructions advise that for babies who are just learning to walk that it is fixed in to the more vertical position.

The wheels have a very clever speed reducer which can be adjusted to slower speeds for babies learning to walk, a quick tweak allows them to spin faster for toddlers who are confident pushing the walker around. I think this aspect is great and I have not come across it from a baby walker before, sometimes the speed at which they move can take your child by surprise so you can see that this is a well thought out feature. Your child can use the walker to push their favourite toys around in, but however your child uses it, it just looks great!

As with all Hape wooden products, this walker is excellent quality and the design of the Volkswagen Beetle is just gorgeous. There is so much detail, the headlights look very realistic and it even shows all the chrome detailing on the bodywork. The wheels have the 'VW' logo moulded in to them and the handlebar is metal so you can be sure that the walker is strong and sturdy.

The Hape Beetle Walker is also available in red and you can read all about it on the Hape website.

Zomlings series 6

Zomlings are a highly collectable range of colourful and unique zombie-based characters, all at pocket-money prices which make them great for children to collect - and a good incentive to accompany Mum and Dad to the shops! Zomlings have shifted forward in time for Series 6, called Zomlings in the Future giving a lovely new aspect to this highly collectable series. It includes hi-tech new vehicles and a futuristic new world, with over 100 brand new characters for children to collect. These new Zomlings live in special capsules that can fly across the skies and they have new types of Zom-Mobiles with advanced Zom-tastic technology for extra speed! We received a fabulous boxful of goodies to review, which contained a starter pack (£4) - I really recommend that you get this to start off with as it contains a guide map, a Zom-mobile, a shiny metal capsule and 3 Zomlings to get the collection off to a great start. We also received 10 blind bags which each contain a single Zomling (50p), 3 capsules (with 2 Zomlings) (£1.50), a blister pack which includes Zomlings and Zom-mobiles (£8) and, finally, 3 blind bags with a Zomling plus Zom-mobile in each. Series 6 includes 6 Ultra Rare (silver) and 3 Limited Edition (gold) Zomlings. Also look out for limited edition Gold Zom-Mobiles! Zomlings are suitable for 4 - 7 year olds. I like the fact that these new toys include some larger packs which are good to treat children to as gifts. These include the Magic Trick School (RRP £5), Pirate and Race Blister Packs (RRP £12 each) and the Crazy School Bus (RRP £25). Zomlings are a great way to encourage imaginative and collaborative play (good for swaps too!), as with so many different items to play with, the variations are endless. These cute creatures look super on a display shelf too. Readily available, they can be bought from Co-op, One Stop, Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and a variety of other newsagents and toy stores across the UK. Follow Zomlings on Twitter.You can find out all about Series 6, and watch a video, here.

Figure Eight Railway Set from Hape

This is a lovely wooden railway set. The figure of eight layout is ideal as a first railway set, as it is easy for even young children to set up the track - it's recommended for age 3+. The Hape Figure Eight Railway Set includes three brightly coloured wooden train carriages which really capture children's attention; they couple together magnetically. There are 12 pieces of curved track, plus ramped pieces to take the train up and over the bright red bridge - this feature really adds a good dimension to the set. There are also two trees to decorate the track; there are 27 pieces in all. The pieces are all really well made with no rough edges, with a commitment to sustainability; compliant with international safety and quality standards. Railways are a constant favourite with children and while they are playing, they will be developing hand-eye coordination, creativity and imaginative play. The possibilities are endless, with the many expansion packs available, just a few of which are reviewed below. See the Hape website for the whole fantastic range. This makes an excellent starter railway set, and there are lots more sets on the Hape website, so your child can gradually build up their collection - you need never be stuck for present ideas again! See the whole HAPE railway range on their website.

Hape Extended Double Suspension Bridge Set

Perfect for giving a train set a city feel, and of really impressive proportions, this is the perfect add on for any railway - children can take their trains right into the heart of the city. The extended double railway bridge has 17 pieces in all, including track. Many railway sets seem to have a country feel, so this is great to bring a more urban feel to children's play, giving yet more scope for imaginative play - how about drawing a road or river to go underneath, then bringing in vehicles and boats from other play sets? This is a really stylish addition to a model rail set and will immediately transform any set. It's well made, with wooden tracks and plastic parts for the bridge. A great addition to any rail set.

HAPE Triple Tunnel

Now you see it, now you don't! Children will love to see their train and carriages appear and disappear through the three separate tunnel parts; one is a double size and two are single. The tunnels come without track, so they can be p;aced anywhere children want on their rail layout, thus extending play value. They fit neatly over the track and there's plenty of room for the carriages to pass underneath - but there is just a little extra dexterity needed which is great to develop those all-important manipulative skills. The tunnels are wooden, attractively decorated. A super addition to any wooden train set.

Hape Automatic Train Bell Signal

Ding! Ding! The train is coming! Hurry up and cross the track safely, heeding the warning from this automatic signal. It can be connected to the tracks so that the bell rings as the train approaches the bend, or it can be rung loud and proud as a separate piece. This gives children plenty of scope for imaginative scenarios - and it's also a good excuse for adults to bring in some discussion about road and rail safety. The signal comes ready mounted on its own piece of track and it's a really good size, giving off a very satisfactory ring. We really enjoyed reviewing these train sets and accessories from Hape. They are excellent quality, and they can be combined with all manner of other toys for even greater play value, ensuring that children will get many years of happy play. And, thanks to the high quality, they can be passed down the generations too - good quality wooden toys never date.

Schleich Vet Van - Horse Club

This is a super new addition to the already extensive Schleich Horse Club range, and really extends the play value of children's existing collections, including Horse Club and Farm Life. The Mobile Vet's Van comes complete with Hanoverian Foal, with bridle and leading rein so it can be carefully looked after by the vet. The van lid lifts for easy access and play. In addition, there are loads of other accessories, including a medicine box, heap of apples, a laptop, table and stool, Xray machine and screen, ramp and stickers... plus the vet, of course (this is poseable). Schleich are well known for their high manufacturing standards and their great attention to detail, which ensure that all their models are really true to life for exceptional play value. All Schleich model animals and accessories are beautifully hand painted making them lovely to play with as well as great collectable items for the equestrian enthusiast. All Schleich models comply completely with relevant safety regulations and are CE tested and approved. Tidy-minded parents will like the fact that everything can be put away into the van after use, ensuring that it's easy to keep the set all together - it can be so frustrating when little pieces get lost. The educational advantages of the set include developing hand-eye coordination, stimulating imaginative play and developing role play scenarios - I am sure you can think of more! Another winner from Schleich and one that children will be really keen to add to their collection. See the whole Horse World collection here.Buy direct from Schleich.

Schleich Farm Life Tractor with trailer

The Schleich Farm World collection just keeps getting bigger and better, giving children lots of opportunities for imaginative play as they build up their collection - they are great ideas for presents, as every time a new set is added, the play value of existing sets is increased and refreshed. And as Schleich models are so well made, they will last and last without showing any signs of wear. Schleich's attention to detail is well-known - for example, the tractor can drive through the gate of the farm set and under the silo, making the sets perfectly interchangeable. The tractor doors can be opened so the farmer can climb in and out, and the windscreen and windows are made of safe transparent, break-resistant plastic. Even the mirrors are real! The tractor has moving wheels which glide well on a hard surface. As always, the pieces are really true to life, so children will be stimulated to enjoy imaginative play with the trailer, working front loader, baby animal and hay bale - plenty to load and unload! There are even stickers for more play value. The hand painting is done with great attention to detail, which makes the models so realistic. See the whole Farm World collection here.Buy direct from Schleich.

Hape Wooden Crane Lift

Hape are the world's largest producer of wooden toys, they depend on the use of natural materials and any plastic parts they make are designed to be durable enough for generations of use to encourage toys to be passed down, rather than thrown away.

Inside the box you will find the crane mechanism and cab which comes pre-assembled. Along with this is a box which contains 5 accessories (a men at work sign, 2 barriers and 2 cones), a platform and blocks for hooking to the crane and the base of the crane, which needs to be assembled. The base of the crane consists of 2 wooden parts which slot together to form an 'x', on top of this a round plate is placed to keep them in the right place and the long tower section is then placed on top of the plate. 2 screws (supplied) are then used to hold it all in place, an allen key is also supplied for tightening them up. The platform with blocks on can then be hooked on to the crane ready for play. The whole process only took a few minutes and once together it feels very solid and sturdy.

The crane can be moved using 2 dials, the dial at the back of the crane moves the hook backwards and forwards and the dial at the front lowers and raises the hook. It is also a great size, standing at 53cm tall. The crane encourages problem solving and discovery along with improving fine motor skills as children have to put the pieces in the correct place. It also inspires imagination and creativity through play.

The Hape Crane Lift is aimed at children of ages 3 and over, and is one of those toys that even much older children will enjoy playing with. The set can be added to by purchasing Hape trucks and diggers to create your own construction site. Hape products go through strict quality control so you can be sure that there will be no sharp points, they do a drop test, bite force test and use water based paints on their products. The Crane Lift retails at £37.99, for more information take a look at the Hape website.

Schleich Pintabian Mare

I am a big fan of Scheich products - their attention to detail is remarkable and the accurate representations of animals make them an excellent way for children to learn exactly what animals look like; once children have played with these high quality animals, nothing else will match up. These elegant and graceful Pintabian horses are new to the Scheiich range, and they are a lovely addition. Pictured alongside is the Pintabian mare, and there are other horses and accessories in the range - a Pintabian Foal, Pintabian Stallion and Foal Care Accessories which includes a horse brush, curry comb and bottle (reviews of these will follow shortly). Just like the real horses, these figures have unique, beautiful coat patterns which make them unmistakable. As with all Schleich figures, these are carefully hand-painted hand-painted with detailed modelling; I love the silver of the horseshoes and the colour even extends to underneath the horse's hoof. We were also sent a cute set of accessories for the horse - this included a blanket, feeding bottle, brushes - and even a pile of apples. All great o extend the play value and to encourage imaginative play. As your child's collection of Scheiich animals grows, so too will their imaginative play, inspired by the high quality which makes play a joy; the animals can also be combined with other toys for even greater play value; they look great displayed on a shelf or windowsill too. You can see the full collection on the Schleich website. For even more enjoyment, sign up for the Horse Club for exclusive monthly competitions and content - perfect for young horse lovers.

Casdon Self Service Supermarket

Casdon have been in the toy market for over 65 years and produce some excellent role play toys, we have been reviewing the new Self-Service Supermarket. It was relatively easy to put together and it is a very good size for little ones as it stands at 75cm tall. It comes with an incredible 75 pieces and the food items included are branded, this can help younger ones as they may be able to recognise the products from the packaging before they are able to read. Included is a chip and pin machine, bank notes, coins, receipt paper and a basket for all of your shopping!

The goods can all be neatly displayed on the shelves around the stand and there is a hook for the basket. On top of the stand is an electronic till which has realistic scanning sounds, lights, spoken instructions and a touch-screen display. You can pay for your shopping with notes or coins and these can be placed in the till, change will also drop out which is a great feature. The till also produces receipts and the product comes with one blank roll of paper for this. The food boxes are well designed and printed, there are also price labels for the shelves that make it look like a real shop.

The Self-Service Supermarket is a fun way for children to learn basic maths skills such as number recognition and counting, for older children they can start to recognise coin values. Play encourages the development of hand-eye coordination, expands the imagination and increases social skills through role play. It retails at £45.00 and requires 3 x AA batteries (not included) and it is aimed at ages 3-8 years. My 4 and 6 year old testers have played with this endlessly, they have each enjoyed being both the shop-keeper and the customer. That is a bonus of this toy; children can play by themselves, or with siblings and friends and it is still just as much fun. Overall it is a really engaging and educational toy as children love being able to do what they see grown ups doing.

For more information and to see a range of the other toys Casdon offer click here.

Brio - Ant with Rolling Egg

This is another lovely wooden toy from Brio. Brio have been making toys for children for over 130 years and they say they base their products on four key rules:

The toy must be safe to play with

The toy must comply with Brio's high quality standards

The toy must be intuitively easy for the child to understand

The toy must help the child grow though play

The Ant with Rolling Egg is pulled along by its brightly coloured cord and as the ant rolls along, the big yellow egg on its back completely rotates. The Ant has a springy tail, antennae and neck which all bob up and down as it rolls along. It will catch your toddlers attention with its gorgeous bold, block colours and big white eyes. As you would expect of a Brio toy, it is very well made and very durable, it is definitely the kind of toy that is kept and passed on to younger siblings when it has been grown out of.

The Ant with Rolling Egg is aimed at ages 12 months+, it encourages early walking and coordination skills. This toy makes a perfect gift, the RRP is £17.99 and can be purchased directly from Brio.

Little Tikes Fountain Factory Water Table

The Fountain Factory water table is so much more than it looks at first glance. It was very quick to put together by following the included instructions, it all slotted together easily and there was just one screw! There is a central water tower which has a network of 3 fountains with interchangable tubes and taps so you can choose how and when the water flows. Different nozzles give different water patterns and a clever hidden tube fills a funnel at the top to keep the water level high enough to allow the water to flow to the various water outlets. The hidden tube pumps the water in to the funnel via a manual pump attached to the side of the table, you press the plunger button down whenever you need to top the water tower up. My testers loved this part of the play as it makes them work to get the water level they need.

There are water spinners at the top of the central tower and around the edge of the table there is a dump bucket (which fills up and then empties itself back in to the pool of water), the pump which fills the tower and a peek-a-boo character that rises with the water level. The Fountain Factory allows you to connect the different pipes and faucets in countless different ways, it is educational by bringing together science and engineering as you work out how to re-arrange them so that they work correctly.

The Fountain Factory is aimed at ages 24 months to 5+ years. My 2 testers are 4 and 6 years old and have both played with this endlessly in both rain and shine! They have had a water table before but there was little to do aside from pushing boats around and splashing each other but the Fountain Factory has kept their interest for hours. It isn't all for the children though, the easy-drain plug makes cleaning it out a doddle! It comes with 3 play accessories: a funnel, a scoop and of course, a boat! As with all Little Tikes products it is extremely good quality with lots of bright colours which promote sensory play. The table is a great size and can comfortably fit 3 or more children around it for group play.

The Little Tikes Fountain Factory retails at £59.99 and can be purchased directly from Little Tikes online.

Casdon Kenwood Mixer

This is another in Casdon's exceptional range of role play toys. They are so well designed, and look just like the real thing, so are brilliant for extending children's role play. Little ones always love to copy Mum and Dad and copy the jobs around the house that they do. Role play offers parents plenty of opportunities for discussion and explanations of what is happening, helping children to develop skills for later life. Casdon's Kenwood Mixer has specially been designed to be true to life, so your little cook will feel like the real deal as they whip up pancakes, cakes and omelettes! This working mixer with its two speed motor with the Kenwood planetary action, is ideal for lightweight mixing tasks such as whisking up omelettes and pancakes helps develop real life skills, including, hand eye coordination, social skills, problem solving and even cause and effect. It also offers the chance to explain about healthy eating and where our food comes from. This replica toy includes a whisk beater and the iconic K beater, spatula, a recipe book and a manual handle as well as the working mixer. Usefully, it can be either hand or battery operated. The recipe book includes a wide range of recipes, including flapjacks, pizza and cakes. I really like the silver (titanium) of this mixer, which is so realistic - and all the features on it are true to life, so when children move on to using the real thing, they will be familiar with the features. Like all Cason toys, this is sturdily and will withstand plenty of enthusiastic play; the recommended age is 3 - 8 year olds. It is so good for children and parents to work and enjoy toys like this side by side - and then to have something to show and enjoy for the effort! An impressive role play toy that is more than just a toy - it's a proper functioning mixer that children are going to love. You can see all Casdon's role play toys on their website.